Biden to Work with Mexico's Lopez Obrador for 'New Approach' on Immigration

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and U.S. President-elect Joe Biden will be working together towards a more humane strategy on regional immigration.

According to Reuters, Biden and Lopez Obrador agreed in a call Saturday to work on a "new approach" to immigration in Central America.

The call between the two leaders was done through a telephone call on Saturday, said a report from Channel News Asia.

The report added that both Biden and Lopez Obrador were committed to collaborating to benefit the two nations.

The leaders want to address the immigration issue at its "root causes" in Central America and southern Mexico, said a report from One America News.

New Immigration Approach Offers Regional, Border Infrastructures

In a statement provided by Biden's team it said that Biden and Lopez Obrador were working towards an approach which "offers alternatives to undertaking the dangerous journey to the United States."

Specifically, they wanted to address migration in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and southern Mexico.

Biden also vowed to build "a new orderly and humane approach to migration" through a regional and border infrastructure and capacity.

The new approach will "respect international norms regarding the treatment of asylum claims," the statement added.

President Donald Trump demanded for a decrease in U.S.-bound migrants, including Mexican who await court dates and paying for a border wall.

These demands was believed to cause from friction in the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico, said the OANN report.

Biden recognized that with the neighboring countries, cooperation was needed especially in terms of migration, the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy and border security.

Biden made promises to end the current administration's "Remain in Mexico" policy, but Axios said these changes may have some complications like the spike of migrants along the US-Mexico border.

But Biden's transition team insisted that the President-elect will be standing by his campaign promises, though it will take some time and resources to implement effectively.

Biden-Lopez Obrador Meeting was 'Cordial'

The idea of working together was proposed by the Mexican president earlier this week with the new Democratic administration led by Biden.

"We reaffirmed our commitment to working together for the well-being of our peoples and nations," Lopez Obrador said on Twitter.

Mexican foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard said the phone call between the two leaders was "cordial."

He said in a tweet: "There will be extensive bilateral cooperation and a very good relationship between the presidents of Mexico and the United States. Good news!!!"

Reuters also said that Biden and Lopez Obrador discussed investment for development of the Mexican community in the U.S.

Lopez Obrador Extends Delayed Congratulations to Biden

Before Biden was officially proclaimed winner of the latest presidential elections, Lopez Obrador refused to recognize him as the U.S. President-elect.

"We do not agree with offering congratulations in advance," the Mexican president said in another Reuters report, adding that he would wait before extending well-wishes to Biden.

Both he and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro waited a day after the official acknowledgement from the Electoral College before congratulating Biden.

This delay ignited rumors that they might have been trying to alienate Biden and the Democratic Party.